The surgical tools currently available to transplant cells to the human brain are crude and underdeveloped. In current clinical trials, a syringe and needle device has been used to inject living cells into the brain. Because cells do not spread through the brain tissue after implantation, multiple brain penetrations (more than ten separate needle insertions in some patients) have been required to distribute cells in the diseased brain region. Every separate brain penetration carries a significant risk of bleeding and brain injury. Furthermore, this approach does not result in effective distribution of cells. Thus, our lack of appropriate surgical tools and techniques for clinical cell transplantation represents a significant roadblock to the treatment of brain diseases with stem cell based therapies. A more ideal device would be one that can distribute cells to large brain areas through a single initial brain penetration.
In rodents, cell transplantation has successfully treated a great number of different brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. However, the human brain is about 500 times larger than the mouse brain. While the syringe and needle transplantation technique works well in mice and rats, using this approach may not succeed in the much larger human brain, and this may result in failure of clinical trials for technical reasons.
We believe that the poor design of current surgical tools used for cell delivery is from inadequate interactions between basic stem cell scientists, medical device engineers, and neurosurgeons. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we will first use standard engineering principles to design, fabricate, refine, and validate an innovative cell delivery device that can transplant cells to a large region of the human brain through a single brain penetration. We will then test this new prototype in a large animal brain to ensure that the device is safe and effective. Furthermore, we will create a document containing engineering drawings, manufacturing instructions, surgical details, and preclinical data to ensure that this device is readily available for inclusion in future clinical trials.
By improving the safety and efficacy of cell delivery to the brain, the development of a superior device for cell transplantation may be a crucial step on the road to stem cell therapies for a wide range of brain diseases. In addition, devices and surgical techniques developed here may also be advantageous for use in other diseased organs.

Statement of Benefit to California:

The citizens of California have invested generously into stem cell research for the treatment of human diseases. While significant progress has been made in our ability to produce appropriate cell types in clinically relevant numbers for transplantation to the brain, these efforts to cure disease may fail because of our inability to effectively deliver the cells. Our proposed development of a superior device for cell transplantation may thus be a crucial step on the road to stem cell therapies for a wide range of brain disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, brain tumors, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury. Furthermore, devices and surgical techniques developed in our work may also be advantageous for use in other diseased organs. Thus, with successful completion of our proposal, the broad community of stem cell researchers and physician-scientists will gain access to superior surgical tools with which to better leverage our investment into stem cell therapy.

Progress Report:

The surgical tools currently available to transplant cells to the human brain are crude and underdeveloped. In current clinical trials, a syringe and needle device has been used to inject living cells into the brain. Because cells do not spread through the brain tissue after implantation, multiple brain penetrations (more than ten separate needle insertions in some patients) have been required to distribute cells in the diseased brain region. Every separate brain penetration carries a significant risk of bleeding and brain injury. Furthermore, this approach does not result in effective distribution of cells. Thus, our lack of appropriate surgical tools and techniques for clinical cell transplantation represents a significant roadblock to the treatment of brain diseases with stem cell based therapies. A more ideal device would be one that can distribute cells to large brain areas through a single initial brain penetration.
In this first year of progress, we have designed, prototyped, and tested a stereotactic neurosurgical device capable of delivering cells to a volumetrically large target region through a single cortical brain penetration. We compared the performance of our device to a currently used cell transplantation implement – a 20G cannula with dual side ports. Through a single initial penetration, our device could transplant materials to a region greater than 4 cubic centimeters. Modeling with neurosurgical planning software indicated that our device could distribute cells within the entire human putamen – a target used in Parkinson’s disease trials – via a single transcortical penetration. While reflux of material along the penetration tract was problematic with the 20G cannula, resulting in nearly 80% loss of cell delivery, our device was resistant to reflux. We also innovated an additional system that facilitates small and precise volumes of injection. Both dilute and highly concentrated neural precursor cell populations tolerated transit through the device with high viability and unaffected developmental potential. Our device design is compatible with currently employed frame-based, frameless, and intraoperative MRI stereotactic neurosurgical targeting systems.

The surgical tools currently available to transplant cells to the human brain are crude and underdeveloped. In current clinical trials, a syringe and needle device has been used to inject living cells into the brain. Because cells do not spread through the brain tissue after implantation, multiple brain penetrations (more than ten separate needle insertions in some patients) have been required to distribute cells in the diseased brain region. Every separate brain penetration carries a significant risk of bleeding and brain injury. Furthermore, this approach does not result in effective distribution of cells. Thus, our lack of appropriate surgical tools and techniques for clinical cell transplantation represents a significant roadblock to the treatment of brain diseases with stem cell based therapies. A more ideal device would be one that can distribute cells to large and anatomically complex brain areas through a single initial brain penetration.
In the first year of progress, we designed, prototyped, and tested a stereotactic neurosurgical device capable of delivering cells to a volumetrically large target region through a single cortical brain penetration. We compared the performance of our device to a currently used cell transplantation implement – a 20G cannula with dual side ports. Through a single initial penetration, our device could transplant materials to a region greater than 4 cubic centimeters. Modeling with neurosurgical planning software indicated that our device could distribute cells within the entire human putamen – a target used in Parkinson’s disease trials – via a single transcortical penetration. While reflux of material along the penetration tract was problematic with the 20G cannula, resulting in nearly 80% loss of cell delivery, our device was resistant to reflux. We also innovated an additional system that facilitates small and precise volumes of injection. Both dilute and highly concentrated neural precursor cell populations tolerated transit through the device with high viability and unaffected developmental potential. Our device design is compatible with currently employed frame-based, frameless, and intraoperative MRI stereotactic (iMRI) neurosurgical targeting systems.
In this second year of progress, we have produced and tested the iMRI compatible version of our cell delivery device. The device components are fabricated from materials that are FDA-approved for use in medical devices, and we have assembled the device under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions. Our device functions seamlessly with an FDA-approved stereotactic iMRI neurosurgical platform and computer-aided targeting system, and we have demonstrated that this iMRI-compatible system can deliver to the volume and shape of the human putamen through a single initial brain penetration. Thus, by using modern materials and manufacturing techniques, we have produced a neurosurgical device and technique that enables clinicians to “tailor” cell delivery to individual patient anatomical characteristics and specific disease states. This modern and “easy to use” platform technology furthermore allows “real-time” monitoring of cell delivery and unprecedented complication avoidance, increasing patient safety.

In this third year of progress, we have made final design refinements to the Radially Branched Deployment (RBD) cell transplantation device, which is fully compatible with currently employed interventional MRI stereotactic (iMRI) neurosurgical targeting systems. These design changes increase the "usability" of the device and enhance patient safety. The iMRI-guided RBD technology advances our ability to properly “tailor” the distribution of cell delivery to larger brain target volumes that vary in size and shape due to individual patient anatomy and different disease states. Furthermore, iMRI-guided RBD may increase patient safety by enabling intraoperative MRI monitoring. Importantly, this platform technology is easy-to-use and has a low barrier to implementation, as it can be performed “inside” essentially any typical diagnostic 1.5T MRI scanner found in most hospitals. We believe that this ease of access to the technology will facilitate the conduct of multi-site clinical trials and the future adoption of successful cellular therapies for patient care worldwide. In summary, by improving intracerebral cell delivery to the human brain, iMRI-guided RBD may have a transformative impact on the safety and efficacy of cellular therapeutics for a wide range of neurological disorders, helping ensure that basic science results are not lost in clinical translation.
Working with a California-based medical device manufacturer, we have developed manufacturing and testing procedures that are now being compiled into a design history file, which is a document required for eventual commercial use of the device. We are also working with an FDA regulatory consultant to prepare a 510K application to seek marketing clearance from the FDA.